St. Bernard Catholic Church parishioner Clarence Bechter helped raise $430,000 to refurbish the church organ on Friday in Akron. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com)

2

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

St. Bernard Catholic Church parishioner Clarence Bechter talks about raising $430,000 to refurbish the church organ on Friday in Akron. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com)

3

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Detail photo of the St. Bernard Catholic Church organ. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com)

4

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The double open diapason of the pipe organ from the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. The organ features 1,877 pipes, with the largest being over 16 feet in length and the smallest being slightly less than an inch. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

5

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

A new console was built for the pipe organ at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron.The console is built from quarter-sawn white oak (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

6

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Pipe organs are racked in the assembly room at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron after restoration work by the Schntz Organ Company. The organ features 1,877 pipes, with the largest being over 16 feet in length and the smallest being slightly less than an inch.
(Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

7

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

A Schantz Organ Company employee works on the manual chest of the pipe organ from the Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. The company hauled the organ piece by piece to its shop for the restoration work, which took more than six months. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

8

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The greigen bass pipes from the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. The company hauled the organ piece by piece to its shop for the restoration work, which took more than six months. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

9

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The swell, or upper, manual chest from the pipe organ from the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

10

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The swell geigan on the voicing machine of the pipe organ from the the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. The Shantz Organ Company is restoring the organ which was placed in the church in 1905. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

11

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Pouch boards from the pipe organ from the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

12

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Testing the organ at the Schantz Organ Company. The organ was taken piece by piece to the shop for restoration work. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

13

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The manuel keyboards, after restoration from the pipe organ at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. Restoration work, which took more than six months. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

14

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

A Schantz Organ Company employee works on the double trumpet pedal at the Orville company. The company hauled the organ piece by piece to its shop for the restoration work, which took more than six months. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

15

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The Doppelflot from the pipe organ at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. The Schantz Organ Company hauled the organ piece by piece to its shop for restoration work. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

16

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Panoramic view of the pipe organ and the church interior at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. Guest organist Lynn Frey-Steward will play March Militaire, the first song ever played on the organ at a free recital Sunday to hear the fully-restored organ St. Sebastian Parish in Akron. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

17

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

The nave, or the main body of the church, can been seen from the organ interior at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. It took more than six month to fully restore the pipe organ that was originally put in the church when it opened in 1905. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

18

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Shantz Organ Company install the restored pipes for the organ at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron.The organ features 1,877 pipes, with the largest being over 16 feet in length and the smallest being slightly less than an inch. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

19

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Shantz Organ Company install the restored pipes for the organ at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron.The organ features 1,877 pipes, with the largest being over 16 feet in length and the smallest being slightly less than an inch. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

20

/

20

SHOW CAPTION HIDE CAPTION

Restoration work of the pouch board of the at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Akron. (Photo courtesy Schantz Organ Company)

By Rick Armon

Beacon Journal/Ohio.com

You look like someone who appreciates good reading.

We hope you enjoyed your 7 articles this month. You can come back next month for another 7 free articles or choose unlimited access with a Digital or Print Subscription, and continueto enjoy the best journalism in Akron, anytime, anywhere and on any device. Subcribing is quick and easy.

Ohio.com is happy to provide a forum for comments on stories. We encourage a lively exchange of ideas and thoughts regarding topics in the news. We discourage comments that are personal attacks, abusive, or hateful. Such comments may be flagged for removal.